Blackout
by nohearthere
Summary: Not knowing what happened the night of her step-dad's death, lead Ashley through a roller coaster. With her return to Olive Hill, not only will there be familiar faces, but the clues to what happened, the chance to uncover exactly what kept her in the dark and reveal the secrets that remain locked in the shadows of that night. Features other characters, from the new and old days.
1. You're Home

Surprise! Me, once again bringing you guys another project, hopefully this one can get a little more credit. Hope you guys enjoy this little bit! I didn't really think that I would be writing so soon, but this is what happens when I start to remember old times, and watching old youtube videos. So, without further ado, here you go!

* * *

><p><em><strong>W<strong>_hat happened

_Her eyes were about to surrender their shields to the hypnotizing arrows of Sleep when a strange noise startled her. Her body flipped on its posterior side and her head turned to face the source of the noise-the door. Her body was already relaxed, her muscles in sync with her brains orders, she would not move. Whomever it was, would go away if she did not respond, and so she didn't. _

_Her attempt at innocently making the sound go away, failed. Her blue eyes focused perfectly on the door, her brain signaled her heart to thump, and so it did, her mouth dry, her throat dry. No one would be at her door at that time, her mother was asleep, and so was her step-father. Shutting her eyes once more, the sound of the door scratching against the rust on the metal of each hinge woke her from a dizzy sleep. _

"_I knew you wouldn't be sleeping at such an early time." Scott mused, his footsteps were slow, careful, as if he was avoiding making noise- he really was. _

"_What do you want?" Ashley retorted, her voice a non-pleasing tone. _

"_You looked so beautiful tonight… That dress… It accentuated every bit of you." He purred. His eyes sparkled of a twisted brown. Knots formed on the back of her throat, making it harder for her to speak. Her hands were clammy, cold sweats glued her shirt to her back. He only got closer and closer, each footstep cautious of the noise he could prompt at any time. _

"_Scott, what are you doing here?" her throat allowed her to speak. Her fingers curled on the edge of her sheets. He only got closer. __**Why won't you leave?!**_

"_I simply came to satisfy the thirst and the curiosity I could no longer wait to fulfill." , and he was close, very close to her. His large, greasy hands gripped her mattress and tugged at her sheets, " You don't have to say anything to your mother, sweetheart." His lips had a taste for evil and she could see it, he was beyond thrilled to be next to her. Her legs moved away, but that only allowed more room for him to sit, when all she wanted was to move away from him. _

"_You need to leave." She swallowed. Her eyes captured each and every moment as he froze her body and his hands touched her skin. He sung words, and many sweet lyrics."Please…" she begged._

"_Shhhh." He hummed, "This will only be a little bit." His hand took a firm grip on her wrist and he firmly pinned her down to her soft pillow. It was then her senses fully awoke, her body jittered, and it jittered. She wanted to scream, kick, but she couldn't._

_Her shirt was moved away, she felt her tears but she couldn't cry, her pants pulled off and it was only when the only part no man had touched her was exposed that all she had within came out. She cried and tried to kick him off, and she did it again and again, __**she screamed. **_

_His body fell like a rock on top of her. Her ribs were crushed, her back firm against the soft mattress which cradled her right then. Her blue eyes were wide in fear, her hands were like loose vines in the jungle trying to pull his hands anywhere but towards her. But she failed. Tears stung her eyes, and they moved downward to join in a bigger drop under her chin._

"_Shut up!" he hissed, covering her mouth, " ." He muttered and she cried, and she cried again. His hand covered her mouth, stopping her from speaking, she tried all that could and then- she bit it. He jerked his hand away from her mouth and used it to make her cheek sting, pain that she hadn't felt before got stronger and stronger. She begged, __**Please.. Go away..**__ she panted, __**M-M-Mom…**_

_**She can't hear you. **_

_Her hand dangled, and she reached for balance, and that was when she found something, small but something, __**ow…ow…ow…OW. **_

_There was something with an edge- with one hard swing her arm hit something, over and over again. There was grunting, loud grunting. _

_**You little bitch! **_

_She froze and then the pain was inflicted on her, she gasped for air, her body ached and then-_

_**ASHLEY!**_

_It's dark. _

_**GET HER OUT, NOW. GET HER OUT. Oh, gosh… the blood… the blood! Please get her out. Please get her out, fast! I'll meet you at the hospital. Let me clean this up, please. Let me clean this up- why… why. **_

**Y**ou're Home.

It's all such a pretty sight, isn't it? The leaves die in the fall and drop to the ground creating a beautiful, colourful carpet for our feet, and in the winter, they fade away and turn to dust, allowing snow and rain to take over and make their own carpet. The wind isn't so comforting anymore, the wind is now a gust of ice which brushes up against the gentle skin of your cheeks, making them blush as if they have been kissed by their lover. Lights are on everywhere illuminating your path home, and around the town- everything had that blissful, bright image. _Olive Hill_ had its best night dress on, all day.

She hides her lips behind the black warmth that her scarf allowed, the wind playing with the free strands that her hate tries to house. Her boots make gentle imprints on the ground, leaving her trail behind to fade once more. She finally turns the corner to find one of her places to be, _Emily's Tea. _The familiar sounds of the doors pushing open and closed, the clicking of fork to plate, the sip of the warm beverage were all so familiar to her. Finding the front door mat, she stomps away the snow from her boots, before pulling the door open, allowing the heat from the secluded bakery welcome her.

It has been years since Ashley has been around Olive Hill. Last time she was around she was 13 years old, right before her mother married off Scott. Images of him bring a bitter taste to her mouth. Three years in _Hell Town _as she likes to describe it, and then before she acknowledged it, she was in a psychiatric treatment. Surrounded with people who talked to thin air, who laughed at their own answers and screamed and cried if she just said hello.

She was the mere age of 16, right before she turned 17, and one night she was in her bed, the next she was in a hospital bed, everyone around her worried with tear-streaked faces and apologetic smiles on their faces. It was confusing, no one really understood what had happened, hell, she didn't. But her mother took her aside and told her that her step-dad had passed away. Her mother, Alanna, had planned on taking her away for a little while, back to _Olive Hill_ to help her cope, but her step-grandmother insisted that she needed treatment, she had supposedly _forced the death of her son. _

Now sitting at the good age of 20 she returned to _Olive Hill_.

No one would know. No one except **someone.**

She peals her black jacket from her lean arms and she looks around, her eyes recognized her familiar friend, Mickie. The moment the brunette shifted her eyes, her smile becomes just as radiant, "I hope this isn't a tease, and that the rumors are true, and you're back!"

Ashley smiles, nodding her head in assurance, "I promise this is no game, and I am back to stay.. With you and your little… Hm, fanatics." The two collide in a warm embrace, gently rocking their bodies side to side. Mickie was one of Ashley's best friends since their mothers met the first day of Kindergarten. Mickie's mother runs the café with her grandmother, and this became their place since.

"Good. Because since you left, this town has gotten crazy, and just, boring. I'm glad we've got the spunk back together." A confident wink on Mickie's face makes Ashley grin.

"Oh, hold on!" Mickie interrupts Ashley, "I got you your seat, right by the booths, and I'll bring you your favourite Carame-"

Ashley holds Mickie by the shoulders, her own smile tugging at her face, "I love you and all, but I'm taking it easy on the caffeine, just a tea, please. And now, I will _scootch _down to that lovely seat." She winks a happy blue eye at her friend.

"Oh my gosh!" Mickie gasps, "You and Phil used to be caffeine junkies, what happened?!"

Ashley forces a laugh, "Just go and get my tea, woman."

Mickie returns her friend a very disapproving shake of the head, but saunters off behind the counter, getting her friend's order ready.

At least this happy, warm atmosphere put her in good spirits. She had spent all of her morning listening to her mother ramble on about what to and not do.

Pinning up her jacket, she walks past the tables to her one designated spot. It fit her perfectly. She smiles down to herself and takes her seat, it was comfortable and perfect enough to just adjust her slouchy posture. It had been a long time since she had been here, this is all bittersweet to her. Her stomach warms up with all sorts of fuzzy feelings.

"I wanna meet her! I wanna meet her! Come on, Seth, don't be such a puss-wreck!" Ashley straightens up when she hears what sounded to be an _English _accent. Turning her back, she finds a rather tall raven head running her way, pulling a guy behind her who didn't look pleased receiving all of the attention she was bringing.

"Paige, you're going to scare the girl." He mutters a little too loud when Paige comes to a hault, her lean frame right on the table side.

"Hi!" she beams, "You must be Ashley, right? We hear so much about you- Mickie hasn't shut up about you since her mum saw you guys moving in-" not even Ashley's puzzled look stops her, "… I'm Paige! And this arse over here is Seth." She grins up at the guy standing by her side, and she nudges his ribs, waking him up from a blank-out.

"Hm, yeah. I'm Seth. I'm sorry, she has had too many cups of coffee, today." He forces a pleasant smile on his face. He groans when Paige returns to pullet his arm, "Can you quit that?"

Ashley sat up and sympathetically accepts the apology and the shaky, fastest handshake of her life from Paige. She was like that years ago, "Nice to meet you guys. You guys must be new around here. But, yeah, I'm that Ashley that just moved back." Her little attempt to lighten up the ambiance and the guy next to Hyper Paige makes her laugh.

"Where did you come from?" Paige asks blankly.

"Oh, I moved back home from _Hell Town_ , I'd rather not say it." She shrugs her shoulders. She was making friends, she wasn't as awkward as her mother imposed.

"Oh, Hell Town, huh. What? Did all the cats hiss and scratch you until you bled insanely, or?" Paige wore a serious, curious look on her face.

That got a good laugh out of Ashley, "I wish. It was just an awful place."

"That sucks." Paige shrugs her shoulders, "Welcome to the safe land, where people only get high off caffeine and decide to not come out of his dark corner, unless he can bench press 'til his eyeballs pop out." She smirks, glancing up at her friend who just rolls his eyes.

"Ah, " Ashley nods her head, "Well, it feels like home already." She retuns Paige's smile, "It's nice to meet you guys, Paige and Seth, right?"

"Yep! Anyways, I have to go help this loser out, because he does not know how to cook his dough- Ha, ha! Get it?"

"No, Paige, she doesn't, let's just go." He grips at Paige's arm and he looks back at Ashley, "It was nice to meet you. See you around, okay?" He whispers something to the raven head maid, which makes her pout, and he finally takes her away. So she left, and these two came in, huh.

"I have your tea, ready. Don't worry about Paige, she's… She's a little something." Mickie laughs, setting down Ashley's mug in front of her, "She can be a bitch though, and Seth? That's Phil friend, they're really close, and he's just the other half of him." She forces a smile on her face, one that couldn't go unnoticeable.

"I thought that was your spot," she looks up to the brunette and sees the frown on her face, "No.."

"Yeah, Ash. You know sometimes, things don't work, and that's alright, I mean, he's happy. That's all that matters." The brunette pushes a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You guys were total _otp_! You are coming home with me, and I will not let you go anywhere without you telling me _exactly _what happened. Is that why he's not working here, anymore?" Ashley blows on her tea softly, shooing away the comforting warm steam coming from it, before taking a small sip.

"Don't worry, he's fine." Mickie feigns a smile, "I have to go, I have another two orders on the go. I promise after my shift we'll hang." Squeezing her friend's shoulder she makes a full 65 before her lips pin down another frown. Phil Brooks, Punk, he was still a sour subject.

The doorbell goes off yet another time, and a few glances stare up at who was coming in, this time, it was Ted Dibiase. He shivers like a dog out of water and he pins up his varsity jacket before walking in. The moment his blue eyes met hers, he beamed, "Ash!" he smiles.

"Ted!" Ashley smiles. Ted and Ashley were close, he was the jock who always had her back during school and since then they were close, she was his tutor and she was pretty sure, that she was the one that got his grades from a failing F to an A+ and by the looks of it, he'd kept it that way. She walks towards him and he picks her up in a bear hug, "Long time, no see! What's up?" she adjusts her striped sweater, when he sets her down.

"Ah, nothing much, trying to get away from the freezing cold weather. How about you? Are you seriously back? Let's sit, man. I think my legs can break at any second now." The two laugh in unison and they walk down to where Ashley's table was.

"Yeah, I am totally back." She nodded her head, watching Ted comfortably sit on the small chair- rather a very small chair for his frame, "Everyone's so surprised, I don't think I'm used to this." She laughs, retrieving another sip from her mug, "I always thought that once we left, that was it."

Ted shakes his head, "You? Nah. You were pretty much what kept everyone together. You know what happened to Mickie, Layla- that dick of a Brit left her, and me. Maryse hopped on Randy's dick. Has been on it since."

Ashley's face displayed no emotion- that all happened to their cozy bunch?

"Oh my gosh, yeah, I know about Mickie and Punk, but Lay and Wade? Seriously? I thought those two were close to putting a ring on it. Do you know what happened?" Her blue eyes watch him attentively as he rubs the back of his neck, deciding whether or not to tell her.

"Well, Layla found him with this Russian chick, Lana. Yeah, after that, the two of them haven't really talked." He shrugs candidly, "Now, I know you're going to ask me about Maryse, but I think you know what happened."

"I thought I told you to tell her exactly how you felt when you two hung out." Ashley huffs.

"I did."

"And?"

"She gave me the cliché, _it's not you, it's me_, sorry speech." Ted carelessly rolls his eyes, "I mean, yeah it's shit, but I mean, if she can move on, so can I."

"Please tell me you haven't been sleeping around with the sorority sisters!" Ashley begs, scrunching her face which makes her laugh a little too hard, "Aw, Ted, I'm sorry."

"I have only had one night stand."

"Seriously?"

"Okay, maybe a few, but don't talk so loud!" Ted chuckles softly, leaning over closing the distance between the two.

"So, Maryse is with Randy. You mean, the nerd that used to have a thing for me?" Ashley blinks a few hard and long times.

"Oh, believe me. He's no nerd now, he's a good-looking son of a bitch." Ted scoffs, Ashley could smell the ego bruise on Ted.

"Huh, if only all Randy's were like the one I met." She shakes her head once more, ready to take a serious sip from her cup.

"Me thinking you weren't into guys." He teases, kicking at her leg softly.

"Shut up, Ted!" She beams letting her laugh echo in the room, "Now, because of that, you are paying for my tea, and whatever I eat!"

"I guess that's a fair deal- however, you're _still_ going tohave to tell me about this Randy you met." Ted smirks once more, making Ashley scoff in reply.

* * *

><p>So, this was a little bit of an intro- you got to meet <strong>some <strong>of the characters, and gotten a little glimpse of what's going on, and what some of the other story lines are! Chapter two will be a little more filling,I hope. So stay tuned!


	2. It's Done

_x_ This took a little longer, but I updated before my goal date. So, I hope this goes as a little surprise. Hope you guys enjoy it. _x_

**I**t's Done

Cold during the day, cold during the night. There seems to be no even ground to the winters of _Olive Hill, _only the worst of the extremes- like a bipolar town, per se. The wind played with the shops' shutters, the cars illuminated against the empty, wet streets, making each puddle seem as if they were covered in diamonds. for many it could have been a beautiful scene to admire, to Seth, these were nothing but little parts of his jog.

Empty streets housed the best of joggers, and Seth was one of them. When he finally slows down, he stands a few feet away from his little home that he shares with his good friend, Punk. The two shared an apartment over a flower shop- how sentimental, huh- that had been given to Punk after his sister moved out. He understood why they were there. Punk worked full time at the Tattoo shop down the block, and well, Seth didn't make much, just enough, as a waiter. When he finally sets foot on the entrance mat, he hears Nacho barking as he opens the door, _that damned rat. _Nacho was AJ's dog. She brought him along whenever she stayed over, and that night? It looked like the love birds were in their nest.

"Shut it, bud." He hisses into thin air, as he kicks off his shoes and he hops up the few steps before entering their messy, yet large apartment. Nacho barks once more, this time at his food bowl. Giving Seth the _"puppy dog eyes" ,_ he finally gives in and grabs the bag of dog food and pours the little guy some. Happy that he finally shuts up, he saunters down the dark hall, the tv was on and if possible, he can already hear Punk's little mind on overdrive.

"Take it easy, it's just me." He pulls off his jacket and throws it aside before slumping his large flame down on the one empty couch, "Where's the misses?" he teases. It wasn't a rare occurrence when Seth acted a little rude towards AJ, they didn't like each other.

"Asleep." He retorts, ignoring Seth's attempt at pressing his buttons. Punk had grown a little old, a little too fast for his age. Coming from a rough upbringing taught him a lot, and so did the taste of loneliness. He was hard as ice, and he would make sure that nothing would hurt him. Only _one _ person had brought down his walls, and it wasn't AJ.

"Ah," Seth begins, his index finger rubbing the shape of his mustache, "Ashley's back, that friend of yours? She seems really cool. I thought you'd be around, considering that you, Mickie and her were close.." Seth knew how to get Punk going. When Punk got quiet, there was a lot of things he wanted to say that he wouldn't, and typically when he did? He'd get really physical- but as of late? It wasn't something small like cheap talk backs, or insults that pissed him off, it was something else.

"She knows where to find me. Ash gets a new tattoo done every month. I'm surprised she hasn't ended up like me yet." He points towards his inked arms with his hazel eyes.

"Or maybe you just didn't want to come face to face with Mickie." He wiggles in his seat to make himself comfortable. He was sweaty and his clothes were beginning to cling to him. The awful heat in this apartment didn't help.

"Or maybe I'm a human being that doesn't need to be sniffing around anyone's ass anymore." Punk scoffs, his hand firmly behind his head, his head never moves. He sits still, a little too still. He knew how Seth liked to pick on him about Mickie. That's all he did, especially when AJ was around. It wasn't only him, it was _everyone. _No matter where he went they would talk about Mickie, it was an absolute virus. Could he not live a day without having Mickie being brought up? Small towns' habits were harder to break than he thought.

He needs to get away from it all, he doesn't need to relive it. It was hard enough to fall asleep and not imagine Mickie in his mind, kiss AJ and still feel like he was back in Montpelier with Mickie that summer they went to visit her farm house with her mom. What everyone wants him to say is that he was wrong to pull the plug – he wasn't. Mickie is soon going to college, and he'd stay behind. He was right to break it off, it didn't mean he stopped loving her. Why didn't everyone see that and just let him be?

"Ouch, Punk. Come on, if you don't have to do that, why don't you show yourself that? Sitting here and working day to night now, will **not **stop you from seeing her. Just saying."

"I would think running would get you out of breath, looks like you need to try harder." Punk retorts, his head finally turning to send Seth a nasty glare, "Don't you have stuff to do, other than pull at my tail? Try as hard as you want, but you're not going to get much out of me."

"Oh, believe me. All of this denial and all of this back talk is answer enough." Seth rejoices getting up from the couch, "By the way, tell miss frissy pants that if her dog barks at me like that _one more time_, I will literally kick it in its tiny balls."

"He's got none, you smart ass."

"It scares me to know you know those details." Seth laughs, tossing his sock at Punk, and the sound of his grunt only made the smile on his face bigger.

"Keep smirking, Rollins. You won't be talking so much crap when I tell Paige about your draw-a-thon with her face all over." Punk retorts at the shut door.

If this little cycle didn't end, he would make sure it did. He needs to live his life, not hide behind a relationship. He wants to. But the issue stands at him being afraid of letting it go, no one knows him like Mickie knows him, losing her means losing all that he had accomplished. He liked AJ, but in the back of his mind _he knew _there would be no more Mickies out there.

* * *

><p>The last box sat in her car, perfectly stacked on the remaining few which were tightly fit in such a small area. Her brown eyes were a darker shade of cocoa brown, almost an empty black. Two months stand since Wade left her, two long, crucial months, making her feel like ripping each and every curl on her perfectly shaped hair. Heart ache, over heart ache. First Wade, and now her grandmother sits in a lonely old-age care home where Layla can only see her once a month, if she's lucky a bit more, due to her grandma's state. Living with her aunt was supposedly another way to kind of let go of what she'd been through, but the loneliness hurt more than anything at this moment.<p>

She slams the door firmly and when she does so, she feels two familiar arms wrap around her waist. A genuine, soulful smile caresses her face, relinquishing her aunt's embrace, "I'm going to miss having your hysterics around, Lay." Her aunt mutters against her head of curly locks, making Layla chuckle.

"I'm gunna miss you too." She sighs, regretting that she was still standing there. Gosh, how she hated goodbye, she was never good at them. Finally, being able to, she twirls in her aunt's arms and wraps her arms tightly around her neck, "Call me every day, okay? I want to hear about Andrew. Believe me, you guys are going to go far." Confident in her remark, Layla shares a wink with the older woman.

"I promise I won't leave a single detail out. Now," she patted the back of the red car, which looked old for today's age, but Layla adored it, "hop in there, and get going. Your friends are waiting – besides, I don't want to destroy my look for today. I have a date." Lynn shared a laugh, brightening up the sad look which took over her much defined features, "I love you kiddo."

"I love you too." Layla smiles, before pulling her aunt in for another embrace, "Call me, alright?" Layla takes a careful, hesitant step back, "Good luck. You look beautiful." The two share another moment, before Layla sneaks back into her car and lets the engine warm up with a shaky roar.

This was hard, maybe a little harder than she though. Pulling out of that _homy _drive away was so bittersweet, but she needed this above all. She needed to prove to herself that she was more than Wade thought her to be.

**The piece of old trash, he's all yours.**

_Olive Hill _only got closer and closer. A smile appeared on her face as the wheels met the icy stone streets, as the lights welcomed her with a beautiful beam. It was good to be around. She could not wait to finally sit in a comfortable bed, share a cup of hot cocoa with Eve and babble on about the latest gossip. The two had been friends as long as she could remember. When she heard the news that Eve was returning to help out with the gym, she couldn't be thrilled – although badly timed , and after a hard battle on Eve's side, she was finally convinced to move back, and start over.

The Colorado native would not take no for an answer, and in some ways that benefited Layla. She needed it. As much as she hated it back a month ago, she was thankful now. Last time her and Eve spoke, she mentioned a, _honk of a neighbor who helped me with the garbage shoot this morning! Lay, he has the most beautiful eyes, if I wasn't dating Adam, know for a fact I would have been batting my lashes at him- then again, who says I didn't, but just a bit, _Eve everybody. The girl was dating Adam who was studying in Canada- it was still a myth how the two met, but by the sounds of it, and how Eve depicted him and their relationship, she was more than sure that soon enough, Eve would be walking the aisle.

The apartment building was small. Homy enough, but it only sat up to 4 apartments, nothing fancy. _Olive Hill _would never dare to threaten the _perfect city feel _for the modern looks. Everything still looked as if taken from a cookie-cutter Christmas book, and that was what made everyone stay so close to it. It was so hard to leave. Lights hung off every balcony, each stream of lights brightening the dark shadows of the evening, making the ice sparkle and the snow beautiful spectrums of light.

"Lay!" her eyes dart up towards Eve's balcony. Her jaw drops, the other brunette waves with a naked arm. Her smile still radiant, no cold could phase her, "I'll be down in a few! Hold on!" she cries out.

"Great." Layla sighs with a smile on her lips. Unbuckling herself from her car, she sees another car pull up to the garage. It was a white truck, a beautiful one at that. No speck of dirt, it was as if it was just newly bought. Ditching her eyes from the beautiful truck, her eyes focus on her old car, _this is so embarrassing. _She hears the door to the truck shut and a voice. _He _was on the phone. Who was _he?_ Was this the _honk _Eve claimed to have helped her? Layla almost wanted to pull off the same stunt, but instead she guarded herself. Clearing her throat, she shifts her face to watch her surroundings, "nonchalantly" doing so, while her eyes sticks to the corner, waiting to see who this guy is,exactly.

"Yeah, you know what, I'll meet you there tomorrow. I have to go in, anyways. Yeah, that elbow is still screwed up." She heard him echo, but the echo is a little close for her to hear. He sounded so pretty, he even had a suave murmur to him. Being impatient, she turns completely. He'stall, well built- very well built at that, she bats her lashes, enjoying the view.

_**Damn it, Layla!**_

"Oh, hello there." He greets her with a beautiful, twinkling smile, his eyes squint, soft wrinkles show up to greet the corners of his eyes, "Can I help you with something?" he asks, gingerly.

Layla breaks free from her stare, "Hm? Oh, me. No, I'm actually just waiting on my roommate. She's supposed to be helping me move in." Layla smiles.

"Ah, so you're new here?" He asks, "I guess I don't feel so bad about myself, then – I'm John." He extends his larger hand towards her.

"Nice to meet you," she blushes, "I'm Layla. Not new around here. I am just moving back."

"Oh, then I guess I'm still the new face." He snickers, "I'll get rid of the little group I had going on."

Giggling, Layla shakes her head, "Actually, you're better off keeping it. This town can get pretty weird."

"Really?"

"Yep."

He waits as silence hovers over the two of them. He couldn't lie, her accent was cute, a little too cute. And she seems like a genuine girl, someone that you can take along for rides, and just sit and do nothing all day without having her complain. He watches as she awkwardly looks around. Already begging her friend to come down faster, because, let's face it, how weird is it having your neighbor shoot you some lame flirts.

"Well, if it's okay, maybe you and I can go venture out in this little weird town of yours"

**L.A.M.E**

That catches her off guard. Her eyes stay at point zero, making him chuckle, "That was dumb of me, I apologize." He chuckles.

She is literally stuck, her lips part to speak words, but there's nothing. Except, "I just left a very bad relationship- I'm sorry, maybe some other time." She offers him an apologetic smile.

He nods, understandably so. I knew she was too beautiful to be single, well, single, but with a lot of baggage, he'd try again… Maybe, "I'm sorry to hear that. " he glances down at his sneakers, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I guess we all have those, huh? Well, anyways, Layla, I think your friend is right there, and maybe we can hang out some other time? I'd really like that. Sorry again." He shoots her another smile before scurrying himself once again behind his truck and into his apartment.

"Really, Lay?!" Eve hisses from behind, "You break _all _the 'Single Girls' codes. I am so disappointed! He was totally checking you out! We are going to have to work on this, young lady." Eve insists.

Layla sighs apologetically, "Well, it's not easy for me- my goal coming back, was **not **to try riding on the love tricycle. Now can you help me carry these back?"

* * *

><p>Dinner was amazing. Mickie's and Ashley's mothers were excellent chefs, and typically get-togethers like these would end in much-begged sleepovers. This time, it would end in much needed conversation. Grabbing their bowl of chocolate cheesecake, Ashley and Mickie saunter off to Ashley's room. Their mother's stayed behind talking over mugs of coffee and biscuits, while the two would do their own chatting.<p>

"Your room has aged up with you." Mickie teases as she opens the door, "You still have our tickets, the t-shirts! Oh my gosh, Ash! The nostalgia!" the smaller brunette beams as she walks inside Ashley's bedroom, making it seem like the most exciting exhibit of a museum.

"You're kidding? Of course! These bring back such great memories. Kind of like when we beat Punk at a Ping-Pong game, because he would not even get close to beer bong?" Ashley laughs, all these memories being brought to life, and being shared with her best friend was much better than reliving them on her own, "Those tickets were pretty sweet. Have a seat, you have a lot to tell me." Mickie's expression fell, and became disapproving in seconds, "Hey, we have cheesecake, may as well throw them back with each bite, no? Besides, this concerns my two best friends, I'd like to know."

"Ash.."

"Please, Micks? I swear after this, you're free to keep whatever secrets away from me." Ashley lifts her one hand in defense.

Mickie took in as much air as she could. Bringing Punk back into her life like that, hurt. She tried to hard to keep things to herself, but with a stubborn friend like Ashley, it was going to hurt a lot more, "Well," she began, "It kind of started a year after you left. You know, college applications and all that snazz," she pulls Ashley's chair from her desk to settle on, "You know how Punk and I always dreamed of our home in here, or Chicago. To study and work there, have our family grow up there, and bring them back here for holidays and such? Well, that was still in plan. I got excited. My grades were sky rocketing, I could choose from so many colleges, and I did. I had so many options, but, I was offered one scholarship. University of New York. Believe me, I wasn't expecting that at all. It took me by surprise." Mickie picks at her big slice of cheese cake.

"I bring Phil into this, and at first we were okay. He was excited for me, he still kept talking about our future plans, until I mentioned my scholarship. Talks became arguments, he started staying over at Kofi's place, when he was around we did nothing but argue. I had enough of it, I really did, I declined my scholarship. I wanted to make him happy, I risked my own future, because I loved him more than anything- still do. But it wasn't enough. He said that compared to him, I wasn't stuck to misery, I deserved to be "free" and away from him. All I wanted was to make him happy… And that didn't work. It was… almost as if everything I did, was never enough, Ash. It hurt me, it hurt me so much. I lost two big things in my life. And they're not coming back."

Mickie wears visible tears in her brown eyes. Each one of them welling up to make a painful sea of tears. She finally lets down a few, "Gosh, I said I wouldn't cry, and look at what you're doing." She sniffs, wiping her stream of tears with the back of her hand, "But I miss him so much. It's hard to see him around- and he's now with that piece of shit, AJ. Seth tells me."

Ashley frowns. Her best friend was in shock, she was heartbroken and left out from something that brought her so much happiness. It was something that was so big, so much bigger than the world and it faded off so fast because of separate paths came in the way- it wasn't supposed to be like this.

"I'm sorry." Ashley frowns. Lifting herself up off the bed, she steps to her friend's side and helps her wipe her tears, "I'm sorry I made you bring it up… I promise you something, you guys are still indefinite, you guys have so many chances- AJ isn't a forever, you and him both know this. It is you two who are the forever in all of this." Her blue eyes search for hope in her best friend's eyes, but it was long gone.

"It's okay, Ash. Like I said, all that matters is that he's happy. That's all I really care about." Trickling cheeks, stretch out to create a smaller smile than what she was used to, "I'm okay, I promise, Ash. Really. Now come on, eat that cheese cake, or I will." Mickie jokes, her brown eyes sad as they glance back down at the slice of cheese cake, forcing her to take a forkful back into her mouth.

Ashley feigned a laugh, "Here, why don't I open the window a bit and we can lullaby the town with our amazing singing? Hm? You cannot avoid a little _Guns n' Roses. _That would break my heart. So hop on get Slash's guitar solos." The blonde winks at her friend who smiles, the twinkle back to her brown irises, "Good to see you, ." Ashley laughs, hopping to her window seat. Tugging at each hinge, she lifts the window slowly. The cool breeze was pleasant. She shuts her eyes, taking it in all in. She moans with satisfaction and when she's had enough she opens her eyes and as if fate allowed it, her eyes fall across the street. A car.

The moon kissed its hood with a twinkle. The windows dark. Blinking down at it, her heart accelerated and her palms got sweaty. Gripping the hinges once more, she shoves the window back down, creating a loud _bang_, shaking Mickie out of her seat.

"What the hell?!" She wonders, "What was that for?"

"You know what? My mistake, it's too cold out." Ashley shivers.

"Ash, are you okay?" her friend stands up and she carefully tries to approach a shaken up Ashley, "What? What was it?"

"There's a car outside… I swear this is not right, it's not supposed to be there, besides my house, there's no one else in this area."

"Ash, it's probably someone who needed parking. Let me get you some cold water, okay?"

Ashley nodded instantly. Stepping away from her shaken frame, she attempts to look again. This time the car remains, but the window was open. She observed closely. A hand gripped the wheel, a bigger hand which looked rough to the touch, an arm, and then a short sleeve. Another flash and she jumps out from her skin and she yanks the curtains shut.

_What is going on…_

* * *

><p>Here you go, fair friends! Hope this was a good one, fill me in on your thoughts. ;)<p> 


End file.
